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Sheikh Jaafar (right) and teacher Mohammed bin Laden (centre) inspecting the expansion of the Prophet鈥檚 Mosque project. Photo by Alfagih on

Top 10 Facts about Mohammed bin Awed bin Laden

Mohammed bin Laden was a self-made billionaire who, after relocating to Saudi Arabia with his family from Yemen as a Laborer, rose to direct major construction projects for the Saudi Roya Family.

Learn more about Mohammed bin Awed bin Laden in these top 10 facts.

1. During His Early Life, Mohammed Was Poor and Uneducated

Mohammed was born on the Hadhramaut coast of South Yemen in `908 to Awed, a Kindite Hadrami tribesman from al Rubat, a village in Wadi Doan.

His paternal father was Aboud, the son of Ali, one of four brothers( Ahmed, Zaid and Mansour) from whom the four Bana Laden clans trace their ancestry.

Poor and uneducated, his family resettled in Tihamah before world war I. According to Eric Margolis, an American journalist and writer, Mohammed initially worked as a porter in Jeddah, a job that poor Yemenite emigrates of the time.

Other sources claim that his first job was a brick layer. He started his own company in 1930 after coming to the attention of Abdul Aziz Ibn, Saudi Arabia. He achieved much success that his family became known as the wealthiest non-government family in the Kingdom.

2. He Was the Father of Osama bin Laden

Osama bin Laden. Photo by Hamid Mir on

Osama bin Laden was the founder of the pan-Islamic militant organization al-Qaeda. Al-Qaeda was designated as a terrorist group by United National Security Council, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the European Union and various countries.

During the reign of Osama bin Kaden al-Qaeda was responsible for the September 11 attacks in the United States and many other mass casualty attacks worldwide.

3. Mohammed bin Laden Forged Relationships with Royal Family

As a royal builder, he forged a close relationship with the royal family to get construction contracts. He mainly forged a relationship with Prince Faisal of Saudi Arabia.

In 1964, Prince Faisal overthrew his half-brother, king Saudi and began rebuilding the kingdom after the wasteful excesses of the Saudi era.

After overthrowing his brother, King Faisal accepted Mohammed bin Laden’s offer of financial assistance to support the national economy. 

As a reward for offering financial assistance, king Faisal issued a royal decree awarding all future construction projects to bin-laden construction companies. Mohammed held full responsibility for restoring the Al-Mosque in Jerusalem until 1967.

Subsequently, Laden鈥檚 company amassed over $5 billion in assets, making its initial fortune from exclusive rights to all mosques and other religious buildings in Saudi Arabia and several Arab countries.

4. Mohammed Was the Founder of the Saudi Binladin Group

Logo von Saudi Binladin Group. Photo outsourced from

Mohammed bin Laden founded Saudi Binladin Group (SBG) in 1931, a multinational construction conglomerate headquarters in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. 

The company contributed to him becoming the wealthiest non-royal Saudi, establishing the wealth and prestige of the Bin Laden family.

The company does construction activities. Mohamed had a good relationship with the country鈥檚 founder Abdulaziz Al Saudi who gave him important government contracts such as refurbishing the Mosque of Medina and Mecca.

The financial success of his company was majorly contributed by clever business sense, faithfulness to Saudi Arabia鈥檚 rulers, reliability and willingness to offer the Lowest bid on construction contracts.

Due to his lowest bid on construction contracts, he could undercut local construction firms. He won the contract to build palaces for the House of Saudi.

After he died in 1967, the Saudi Binladin Group was headed by Mohammed Bahareth, brother of Mohammed’s first wife and uncle of his oldest children.

5. Mohammed’s Oldest Son Overtook Saudi Binladen Group After He Died

His eldest son Salem bin Laden overtook Mohammed’s company, renamed it Binladin Brother for Contracting and Industry, and continued expanding it.

Salen bin Laden’s expansion created employment for more than 40,000 people. Unfortunately, Salem was killed in United Stae in 1988 when his ultralight craft collided with power lines.

Most members of the Ladin family have moved away from Saudi Arabia and settled in Europe and the United States.

After Salem died in 1990, the company was renamed the Saudi Binladin Group under the leadership of Bakar bin Laden. Now the company is involved in construction, telecommunication, engineering and manufacturing.

Saudi Binladin Group is Egypt’s most prominent private foreign company and it negotiated with part of the Lebanese government to rebuild part of central Beirut under a $50 million construct.

6. He Was Notable for His Religious Devotion

Despite amassing great wealth and association with royals, Mohammed bin Laden lived a simple and devoted life. He demanded that his children observe a strict religious and moral code.

Mohammed bin Laden was raised as a Wahhabi Muslim. He boasted that he could fly by private helicopter to pray at Medina, Mecca and al-Aqsa on the same day.

7. Mohammed bin Laden Was Married To 22 Wives

He had 22 wives and used to get divorced regularly. Mohammed had three wives who remained the same, but the fourth wife was changed frequently.

Mohammed was a father to 52 children by 11 wives. He is best known for his son Osma bin Laden whose mother, Hamida al Atlas, was born and raised in Syria.

Osama’s mother was neither Wahhabi nor Saudi. Her origin diminished her status within the conservative Saudi family and became known as 鈥渢he slave wife.鈥�

According to a Swiss author, Carmen bin Laden, Mohammed was planning to wed a 23rd wife the night he died and was heading there when his plane crashed.

8. He Was a Saudi Billionaire Businessman

Logo von Saudi Binladin Group. Photo outsourced from

He became a billionaire working primarily in the construction industry. He had his own construction company, The Saudi Binladin Group.

Mohammed was a brilliant businessman and he created a close relationship with royals. This helped him get construction contracts hence amassing great success.

9. Forbes Magazine listed Mohammed bin Laden Family

In 2009 Bin Laden family was listed as the 5th wealthiest Saudi family by Forbes magazine, with a reported net worth of $7 billion.

The Bin Landen wealth was generated for the construction company Saudi Binladin Group which Mohammed bin Awed Laden founded.

10. Mohammed Died in A Plane Crash

He died in a private plane crash in 1967 at the age of about sixty. His airplane, a Beechcraft G18S, crashed during landing in Usran, Asir province in Southwest Saudi Arabia.